Instead, Dr Shathiskumar Govindaraju cycled through dangerous floodwaters, passing snakes and monitor lizards, on his way to the hospital and his patients yesterday.

The cardiologist said he wanted to check on two of his patients who were in intensive care and other heart patients at the Bukit Tinggi Medical Centre in Klang, where he works.

“My wife told me to wait until the afternoon to go to the hospital due to the floods and heavy rain.

“But I saw that the rain was relentless and the water level kept rising, so I couldn’t wait any longer.

“I couldn’t drive my four-wheel-drive because it was half-submerged in the water. So, I decided to take my bicycle instead,” the 40-year-old doctor told FMT.

Shathiskumar said it was an unforgettable experience and he had never been through such a situation before in his career.

“It was a very scary experience as there were snakes and monitor lizards everywhere.

“There are two lakes nearby, and I’ve seen snakes and monitor lizards there. But seeing them at the lake and seeing them swimming through the floodwaters are two very different experiences.

“Thankfully, the only things that came close to me were centipedes,” he said.

Despite the devastation caused by the floods, Shathiskumar said he witnessed and experienced acts of kindness by complete strangers.

Two Good Samaritans offered him a ride — one halfway to the hospital and the other on the way back home.

“I saw complete strangers helping each other. In a normal situation, we wouldn’t even talk to anyone on the street.

“Also, it usually takes me seven minutes to get to the hospital from my home, but it took me an hour and a half yesterday because I had to be careful navigating through the floodwaters.

“So, I’m lucky that these people were kind enough to offer me a ride,” he said.